


Coping

by viciouswishes



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-01
Updated: 2007-01-01
Packaged: 2017-10-09 21:20:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/91739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viciouswishes/pseuds/viciouswishes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ellen finds Laura in her tent.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coping

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sheepfairy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheepfairy/gifts).



Ellen walks through the New Caprican mud after trying to get her husband out of jail. At least, that's what she calls her meetings with the Cavil model; it's more pleasant than her methods. She longs for a good, hot shower and to fall into bed, curled around the pillow that still smells like Saul. Ellen can smell Saul everywhere in their tent.

In the chilly night air, Ellen can cry herself to sleep in her own desperation and listen for the noise of metal walking. She knows that the Cylons want to kill him. Ellen has to get Saul out before they do. She can do this for him. It's her fault that they're on this frakking planet to start with, because Saul loves her.

When Ellen walks into her tent, she finds Laura waiting for her. Laura, who's huddled with a ratty blanket wrapped around her, has a terrible cough. "Hello, Laura," Ellen says.

"Ellen." Laura looks up at her. Ellen likes to think that she and Laura have reached an understanding since their relocation to New Caprica, but when Laura says her name, it sends shivers down Ellen's spine. "I don't want to infect the children or Maya and the baby."

"So you came here." Ellen shakes her head. "I suppose it's better than knocking on Sam's tent. With Kara who knows where, he'd probably take advantage of you in your weakened state."

Laura's face says 'And you won't.' "Perhaps."

Ellen puts on her best smile. "It's nice to come home to a warm fire though." She grabs a towel and soap for the shower and then sighs, setting her stuff down to fix Laura a cup of tea. Ellen's grandmother was a healer and had taught Ellen a few tricks about fighting the common cold and other simple aliments. She never thought those skills would come in use until now and mixed the drink. "For the mucus," Ellen says as she adds a shot of the Chief's finest. They don't drink as much as they used to since the Cylon occupation.

Laura sniffs the drink. "It smells absolutely horrid."

"You aren't well enough to judge how it smells." Ellen picks up her shower supplies again. "Drink up and I'll be back. If I find that you dumped it out, I'll drag you to Doc Cottle and he won't like that you're sick." And she heads back out into the cold.

Ellen retreats under the warm water where no one can see her tears. This late, the showers are almost empty and there's a semblance of privacy. There'll be no crying in her tent tonight. So she lets it all out and run down the drain.

When she comes back, Ellen can see Laura shivering from the doorway. It's warmer in the tent than most of the other structures. "Comfortable?"

"Not really." Laura rubs her hands together. "I almost threw up from the mix."

"Oh, please," Ellen says, "I've seen you drink worse things."

"I was already drunk then."

"You sound better." Ellen touches Laura's head to feel how bad her fever is. "If I catch this, I swear to the gods that I'm going to take your vegetable rations for a month."

Laura gives her a stifled laugh.

"Come on." Ellen's tugging on Laura's blanket. "We best get you into bed." She rather thinks she almost enjoys this, having Laura owe her. A favor that Ellen's sure she'll probably need in the future, especially if Saul never makes it out of prison. She bites her chapped lips.

Laura moves rather easily, but wrestles Ellen for the blanket. Ellen's determined to get the blanket away from her. It needs a good wash before it's going anywhere near her bed. Ellen remembers the days when Saul would come home greasy from working on vipers and push her against the wall, kissing her. She'd squirm underneath him, demanding that he take a shower first and for frak's sake, take of his boots. Ellen hears echoes of herself shouting as Saul hoisted her over his shoulder and hauled her into the shower with him.

Water drips down Ellen's back from her damp hair, and she shudders.

"I wanted a cabin by the river," Laura says as she lays down on the bed. "A cabin for myself with a window facing the morning sun. Maybe a small garden in the back and a porch for Isis to play on. Bill could visit sometime. Do you think Bill would visit?"

Ellen tries not to snort as she slips under the covers behind Laura, on Saul's side of the bed. "I think you have a fever." She doesn't say that she can't ever imagine Bill leaving the stars, even for a weekend. Plus, he could never keep where he was going a secret, and Bill liked his secrets. Ellen always preferred being able pry Saul's from him with kisses and drink.

These days, Ellen tries not to think of the perks of being an XO's wife.

Instead, she reaches her hand out and touches Laura's forehead again. She seems to be cooling down. Ellen wraps her arms around Laura who's babbling about missing hot summer days and seeing the sun all the while shaking from the cold.

Ellen's not sure if any of them will make it through this. But they've got to keep trying. She leans into her husband's pillow and takes a deep breath.


End file.
